Registering device for stamp-affixers.



J. E. RICHMOND. REGISTERING DEVICE FOR STAMP AFFIXERS.

APPLICATION FILED MAYI, 1913.

1,212,403. Patented Jan.16,1917.

A a A A A Li a/172E Ric/2mm W db W1 6 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN E. RICHMOND, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO MULTIPOST COMPANY,OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

REGISTERING DEVICE FOR STAMP-AFFIXERS.

Application filed May 1, 1913.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN E. RICHMOND, ofRochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Registering Devices forStamp-Afiixers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to theaccompanying' drawings, forming a part of this speci cation, andto thereferencenumerals marked thereon.

My present invention has for its object to provide means for accuratelycounting or registering the number of stamps or labels fed or dischargedfrom a stamp or label affixing machine, and it has for its object toprovide a device of this character in which the actuating of theregistering mechanism is accomplished by the movement of the stamp stripitself, feelers or similar devices cooperating with the perforations inthe stamp strip to effect its operation as the latter is advanced. I

To these and other ends the invention consists in certain improvementsand combinations of parts all as will be hereinafter more fullydescribed, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the endof the specification.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is an enlarged side elevation, shown partly insection, illustrating the register actuating mechanism embodying mypresent invention; Fig. 2 is a front elevation of said device; Fig. 3 isa detail sectional view showing the actuating devices at the limit oftheir movement and in releasing position; and Fig. 4 is a horizontalsectional view taken on the line 4: l of Fig. 1.

Similar reference numerals in the several figures indicate the sameparts.

Registering mechanism embodying my invention is adapted to be used inconjunction with stamp affixing machines in which the stamps are fedsuccessively from a continuous strip or roll, as an example of whichattention is called to Patent No. 1,012,021, granted to W. F. Schweigerand B Straight dated December 19, 1911. In a machine of this type astrip of stamps in roll form is held in a receptacle or containerSpecification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 16, 1917.

Serial No. 764,799.

1, the free end 2 of said strip being led downwardly through a guideway3 and caused to advance along the latter by a suitable mechanism,illustration of which has been omitted, although it is to be understoodthat in operation it causes the stamp strip to be advanced successivelyby a step by step movement, each step being equal to the length of asingle stamp,,the latter at the free end of the strip being severed andapplied to a piece of mail matter or other article. Owing to the valueof the stamps, either from a monetary standpoint or because of therecord purpose for which they may be used, as is the case when themachine is employed in aflixing certain classes of labels, it isessential that an accurate registration should be kept of all stamps orlabels fed from the machine and in order to eliminate any possiblefailure which would occur if the counter is actuated by the feedingdevices or other parts of the machine and for any cause the stamp stripfails to move, I have provided actuating mechanism for the counter whichcooperates directly with the stamp strip so that in the event the latteris not advanced, although the feeding device and other parts of themachine are operated, no record will be affected.

Below the container 1 there are provided side pieces 1 which include theguide way 3 and the outer wall 5, said parts being also so disposed asto provide a housing for the register or counter 6, the front 7 thereofthrough which the numeral wheels may be viewed projecting through anaperture in the wall 5. The operating mechanism of the counter is notillustrated and may be of the usual or any preferred construction, theinternal mechanism of which, it will be understood, is operated by theoscillation of the operating shaft 8 carrying a finger or lever 9 whichis normally held in operative position by a spring 10 which, if desired,may also be arranged within the casing of the counter 6. On one of thewalls 4 is attached a bracket shaped plate forming the rear wall 11 andthe side wall 12 which cooperate respectively with the rear face of theguide 3 and the inner face of the wall 4 forming a rectangular shapedguide way in which there is disposed a sliding member having parallelsides 13 and the back 14, which latter is provided with an aperturereceiving and forming jointed connection with the point of the counteractuating lever 9 which projects through and is guided in a slot 15provided in the wall 11 of the guide bracket. Pivoted between the walls13 of the guide member are a plurality of feelers or fingers 16 havingforwardly projecting pointed extremities which lie in the aperture inthe rear wall of the stamp guide way so as to rest lightly against thesurface of the stamp strip as it passes through the guide way. Thesefingers are pressed outwardly by small springs 18 which cause one oranother of said fingers to be projected through the apertures orperforations 19 between the successive stamps as these come intoregister with the outer edge of the recess 17. The length of the latteris suflicient to permit the guide member on which the fingers 16 aremounted to be carried downwardly and rock the lever 9 until the counteris actuated. The lower end of the aperture 17 is rounded, as shown,forming a cam surface which serves to disengage the fingers 16 from theperforations in the stamp strip, thus releasing the latter andpermitting the guide member and the counter actuating lever 9 to bereturned to their normal position, as shown in Fig. 1.

The counter actuating mechanism provided in the present invention issimple in construction and because of the fact that the counter is onlyactuated by the engagement of the feelers in the perforations in thestamp strip, tion.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a stamp feeding machine the combination with a stamp containerhaving an apertured wall along which a stamp strip is fed, side wallsextending laterally therefrom, of a bracket spaced from one of the sidewalls forming a guide-way opposite the aperture in the first mentionedwall, a U- shaped carriage guided between said bracket and open on itsside adjacent the apertured wall and a plurality of independentlymovable fingers mounted in the carriage and projecting from the openside thereof and adapted to cooperate with the perforations in a stampstrip, a counter mechanism also located between the side walls and aconnecting member between it and said carriage.

2. In a machine for feeding stamps the combination with a stampcontainer comprising an apertured wall along which the stamp strip isfed and side walls extending rearwardly therefrom, of a carriage guidedin the corner between the apertured wall and one of the side walls, aplurality of fingers mounted on said carriage and cooperating with theperforation in a stamp strip, a counter mechanism mounted between saidside walls and a connecting member between it and said carriage.

JOHN E. RICHMQN D.

is very reliable in opera- Witnesses:

Gr. WILLARD R1011, RUSSELL B. GRIFFITH.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0.

